An International Caribbean Online Log about the news and opinions in the Americas and World.
This Caribbean Blog of global reach and appeal is maintained by Bahamian Blogger - Dennis Dames with all readers and subscribers in mind.

Thursday, May 18, 2017

The
Federal Communications Commission (FCC), will begin a rollback of net
neutrality; which is likely to lead to a two tier internet; more extreme
than the current division between the internet you know today and the
ominous "dark net", in which everything from humans to nails seems to be
for sale.

What is important is that large corporations will be able to pay - as some do now - to lock in their web presence at higher speeds, including processes for purchasing.

As usual, whilst in general poor people will suffer the first eddies of
unforeseen disadvantages, also as usual, the Developing World and the
Caribbean - in particular - will be at the bottom of the heap.

I
wonder whether we observe how the global financial and political system
is forming a divide beyond our shrinking opportunities to go to Miami?

Already, all of our telephone calls are recorded; already US visas are
being denied in record numbers; already foreign banks are limiting
credit charging astounding higher fees or just outright leaving our
region, and already, money transfers are being hampered by arbitrary
rules which seem to change daily with little regard for the hardships
caused.

The undermining of net neutrality could prove to be a slow,
imperceptible attack on booking platforms to Caribbean destinations. It
could mean that competitive destinations could pay to have ours down
graded in search profiles, leading to "throttling"; which could mean
seeing our content bunched down with North Korea or countries at the low
end of the development scale.

Although I have no ideology, I am
known as a conservative economist and I do believe in market forces.

However, I reject "trickle-down" theory as barking nonsense. The
assumption of Ajit Pai - FCC Chairman - is the Trumpian belief that if
you remove regulations internet service providers will pass benefits and
potential lower costs to the consumer. (If you believe that, I will
next try to convince you that back hair is sacred).

Here is the
point: the affects may be less harmful than expected. But here is yet
another example of something - alike to climate change - upon which our
future competitiveness and prosperity may hang, and after all, this
time, it may change for the worse with no input from us.

Wednesday, May 17, 2017

TRUMP IMPEACHMENT: A FALSE HORIZON

By Gilbert Morris:

Pundits, Democrats and drunkards
have been predicting Trump's election loss, his criminal indictment and
his impeachment since he launched his fatiguing indefatigable campaign
and assault on the American presidency. They will be proven wrong!

Let's get at the FACTS:

Mr. Trump and his cohorts enjoyed an unusual degree of coziness with
the Russian security establishment, as that establishment hacked into US
campaigns and passed information to Wikileaks.

Wikileaks distributed that information just in time to influence an
electorate that already regarded Mrs Clinton somewhat askance.

Then
come Comey bearing letters and his soul, tiefing up Mrs Clinton's last
bit of credibility, and this and the Russians and Wikileaks all
occurring just in time to blunt or even soften Mr Trump's
crotch-grabbing boasts.

So we accept that the Russians through
Wikileaks's, together with Comey impacted American voter perception just
before an American election; AND: Trump's people were canoodling with the Russians the entire time! AND: Trump's people lied about that canoodling.

Again comes Comey, investigating the affair, forcing General Flynn, The
US Attorney General, hosts of Trumpian lackeys and his son-in-law to
admit, that they were part of the "Stolichnaya Breakfast Club"!

Trump - who has not been told no since he was four years old - accosted Comey, and begged of him, "Let Flynn go...!"

Is that Obstruction of Justice?

Mmmmmmmm, depends...

It requires a set of compelling circumstances:

So, Flynn gets fired.

Comey announces investigation.

Trump and his people denounce the investigation publicly. Gets the
House Intelligence Chairman to call media houses to counteract Comey's
claims.

Trump calls Comey, asks am I going to jail?

Trump meets Comey and says repeat John 3:16, but replace the "only begotten son" with Trump!

Trump invites Comey for dinner, says you want to stay at FBI?

Trump says drop this investigation!

Yes!

It's abuse of power, obstruction even bribery.

What it lacks is a systematic scheme to frustrate the interests of justice and it is so disorganized that it is hardly a crime.